Saying goodbye….
Next weekend will be bitter sweet for me. My 40th class reunion! Seeing close friends and seeing people that I have not seen in 40 years! Soooo looking forward to that! How fun will that be! There is someone else that I am going to see, and I will be saying goodbye to her. We grew up as kids together and lived close by. She was a few years older than me, but there were always that group of kids that always played together. As life goes by, we went to different schools, had different friends, and our paths took different routes…..we had not seen each in years even at funerals and weddings for whatever reasons. My dad died of lung cancer in 2011 and she came to the burial. She handed me a small envelopment at his gravesite with a card inside and asked me to read it when I left. As we were driving home, I opened it and read it. Tears traveled down my face and all these memories flashed in front of me. You see, she herself has lung cancer and has been fighting it for many years. She said words in her card about my dad and how he sometimes felt like a dad to her. Her dad died when she was very young. It is funny the things people tell you about family that dies and what they meant to them in their life. We should do this while the person is living. How awesome would that be! We connected on FaceBook and have been commenting on postings and message each other to stay in touch. A couple of years ago, myself and another friend made it a point to have drinks together with her. We laughed, told stories, funny and sad, and it was so nice to see her. We all agreed to get together again soon, but it never happened. I messaged her that I was coming home for my reunion and maybe we could see each other. She told me that she is not doing well and is arranging hospice to come in. I will be saying goodbye to my special friend of 50+ years next weekend. I am honored and grateful to have the opportunity to do that. What a courageous, strong woman she is. So as life goes on……it is both bitter and sweet….saying hello to many that I have not seen in so many years at my reunion, and saying goodbye to someone that I have loved for 50+ years……….